I wish I could say this was a pregnancy craving.But it’s more like a late-night snack any time of the year.Mini milkshakes!…(without the blender mess)My very first job when I was (yikes 13. Is that even legal?) was at Haagen Daz ice cream shop in South Coast Plaza. Oddly enough my next job was at Godiva Chocolates. Good thing I was also on the school cross country team at the time.

Well.My least (and most) favorite thing to make at Haagen Daz was a fresh ice cream milkshake. I hated it because I had to scoop three times as much ice cream as I would for a cone….and if the ice cream was super frozen it was a major pain. But I loved it because those silver malt cups always made way too much…so we’d pour the leftovers in a separate cup and drink it later when customers weren’t watching. Mmmm. I love that yummy milky taste of a fresh shake.There are times when I really crave one. But it seems like such a pain to make at the house.

Then my brother-in-law Bryan taught me a trick.Just use a bowl and a spoon!

No blender, no mess, and no guilt over indulging cause we’re not making King-size malts. It’s just a couple scoops of ice cream in a little cup. Perfect for sitting on the couch and watching an old Seinfeld episode before bed.So….start with your favorite ice cream.For some reason chocolate seems like the quintessential flavor to me. But mint ‘n chip and strawberry are close runner-ups.1. Place 2 to 3 scoops of ice cream in a small bowlor cup2. Pour in 2 to 3 Tablespoons of milk. DON’T measure, just pour the milk till it covers 3/4 of the ice cream. If you end up adding too much milk, just scoop in more ice cream to balance it out.3. Mush and smash it around with your spoon. Squish it against the cup till everything is blended.4. Toss in your favorite “treats” (chocolate chips are a must for me). If you like malt flavoring, sprinkle a little powder in there too.How tasty does that look?If you want it, you can have it!Yum yum yum.

My friend Cindy taught me this little secret when we’re just in 3rd grade or so. Her Dad taught her. Oh dear Cindy……I should really make her pay for my weight watchers membership because I’m quite sure about 80% of my weight gain is due to Milk chocolate Blue Bell ice cream & milk in a cup!!! To me you have to use good quality ice cream so you get the texture from the tiny little chunks of ice cream once you stir it up! Yum! Yum!!! Curse you Cindy….that will be $35.00 a month made payable to Weight Watchers please :0)

You do need to take care when handling the raw meat and wash any surfaces touched by the raw chicken with hot, soapy water afterwards.
Cast iron cookware in the south are prized heirlooms, handed down from generation to generation.